Mycroft Holmes

Mycroft Holmes
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From The Arthur Conan Doyle Encyclopedia
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Fictional character.
Inhalt
1 In the Sherlock Holmes stories

1.1 Description
1.2 Profession
1.3 Relationship with Sherlock Holmes
2 Performers
In the Sherlock Holmes stories

Mycroft Holmes, by Sidney Paget (1893)

Mycroft Holmes, by Arthur Twidle (1908)
Brother of Sherlock Holmes. (BRUC, 29)
Description
He was 7 years older than Sherlock Holmes (GREE, 23). He

was a much larger and stouter man. His body was
absolutely corpulent, but his face, though massive, had
preserved something of the sharpness of expression
which was so remarkable in that of his brother. His eyes,
which were of a peculiarly light watery grey, seemed to
always retain that far-away, introspective look which
could be only observed in Sherlock's when he was
exerting his full powers (GREE, 60). He was very massive
(FINA, 200), tall and portly, heavily built and massive,
there was a suggestion of uncouth physical inertia in the
figure, but above this unwieldy frame there was perched
a head so masterful in its brow, so alert in its steel-grey,
deep-set eyes, so firm in its lips, and so subtle in its play of
expression, that after the first glance one forgot the gross
body and remembered only the dominant mind (BRUC,
136).
He possessed in a larger degre the faculty of observation

and deduction than his brother Sherlock Holmes (GREE,
13). He had no ambition and no energy (GREE, 38).
He lodged in Pall Mall (FINA, 166), and he walks round the

corner into Whitehall every morning and back every
evening. From year's end to year's end he takes no other
exercise, and is seen nowhere else, except only in the
Diogenes Club, which is just opposite his rooms. (GREE,
46)
He took snuff from a tortoiseshell box and brushed away

the wandering grains from his coat with a large, red silk
handkerchief (GREE, 103). And he smoked (GREE, 319)
Profession
He was very wellknown in the Diogenes Club (GREE, 27)

and one of the queerest member (GREE, 29). He had an
extraordinary faculty for figures, and audited the books in
some of the Government departments (GREE, 45).
He was one of the founders of the Diogenes Club. (GREE,

55)
he had some office under the British Government (BRUC,

49), and occasionally he WAS the British Government
(BRUC, 54). He drew four hundred and fifty pounds a year,
remains a subordinate, has no ambitions of any kind,
would receive neither honour nor title, but remained the
most indispensable man in the country (BRUC, 57).
His position was unique. He has made it for himself.

There has never been anything like it before, nor will be
again. He has the tidiest and most orderly brain, with the
greatest capacity for storing facts, of any man living. The
same great powers which his brother have turned to the
detection of crime he has used for this particular
business. The conclusions of every department were
passed to him, and he was the central exchange, the
clearing-house, which made out the balance. All other
men were specialists, but his specialism was omniscience.
When a Minister needed information as to a point which
involved the Navy, India, Canada, and the bi-metallic
question, he could get his separate advices from various
departments upon each, but only Mycroft could focus
them all, and say off-hand how each factor would affect
the other. They began by using him as a short-cut, a
convenience, he has made himself an essential. In that
great brain of his everything was pigeon-holed, and could
be handed out in an instant. Again and again his word has
decided the national policy. He lived in it. He thought of
nothing else save when, as an intellectual exercise, he
unbended if Sherlock Holmes called upon him and asked
him to advise him on one of his little problems. (BRUC, 59)
Relationship with Sherlock Holmes
He heard of Sherlock everywhere since Watson became

the detective's chronicler. (GREE, 64)
He disguised as a cabman to drive Watson at Victoria

Station to meet Sherlock Holmes (FINA, 200 & 244).
While Sherlock Holmes was away from England during

the Hiatus, he managed the Sherlock Holmes' properties
(FINA, 402), and he was his only contact (EMPT, 175).
When Mycroft visited Sherlock, the later called him

Jupiter. (BRUC, 72)
Performers
List of 18 Mycroft Holmes performers

Gallery of Mycroft Holmes performers

Mycroft Holmes - The Arthur Conan Doyle Encycloped+

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From The Arthur Conan Doyle Encyclopedia

1 In the Sherlock Holmes stories

In the Sherlock Holmes stories

Brother of Sherlock Holmes. (BRUC, 29)

He was 7 years older than Sherlock Holmes (GREE, 23). He

He possessed in a larger degre the faculty of observation

He lodged in Pall Mall (FINA, 166), and he walks round the

He took snuff from a tortoiseshell box and brushed away

He was very wellknown in the Diogenes Club (GREE, 27)

He was one of the founders of the Diogenes Club. (GREE,

he had some office under the British Government (BRUC,

His position was unique. He has made it for himself.

Relationship with Sherlock Holmes

He heard of Sherlock everywhere since Watson became

He disguised as a cabman to drive Watson at Victoria

While Sherlock Holmes was away from England during

When Mycroft visited Sherlock, the later called him

List of 18 Mycroft Holmes performers

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